


and i would love you (in any life)

by TheQueenInTheNorth



Series: this world is wrong (but you are right) [1]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: F/M, elena is also in the framework au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-09
Updated: 2018-09-09
Packaged: 2019-07-10 05:47:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,777
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15943037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheQueenInTheNorth/pseuds/TheQueenInTheNorth
Summary: As an Inhuman in a world controlled by Hydra, Elena doesn't do relationships. That is, of course, until she meets Mack.





	and i would love you (in any life)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [heeeymackelena](https://archiveofourown.org/users/heeeymackelena/gifts).



“Hope, look where you’re going!”

Elena didn’t have time to turn and check who shouted that before something hit her in the back of the leg. She turned to find a girl of maybe three or four looking up at her with wide eyes, lip trembling slightly, clutching tightly onto the handles of her balance bike.“‘m sorry.”

“Oh, that’s okay.” Elena crouched down so she wasn’t towering over the poor kid.“Are you alright, though?”

The girl nodded uncertainly. Just then a man caught up with her, presumably her father.

He crouched down as well, making sure his daughter hadn’t gotten hurt. Once he was satisfied in that, he put on what Elena guessed was supposed to be a stern face.“Hope, don’t race off like that.” He gave Elena an apologetic smile.“Sorry about that. She’s faster than I anticipated on that thing.”

“Maybe you just need to speed up, turtleman,”she returned with a grin, getting up again, as did he. He was tall, and muscular, but there was a sweetness about him, too. Somehow, she was sure he wouldn’t mind the joke.

Hope giggled.“Yeah, daddy, speed up!”

“Any more of that and ice cream’s cancelled,”he told her with an exaggerated wink.

“But it’s my birthday,”Hope whined.“You can’t cancel ice cream on my birthday, daddy.”

“Maybe you should have thought about that before crashing into this nice lady,”he said.

“She could come with us,”suggested Hope, looking at Elena imploringly. It seemed she had taken the threat of no ice cream quite serious.“You can have some ice cream, too.”

Elena waved her off.“That’s okay. Don’t change your plans on my behalf.”

“I think that’s a good idea,”her father said. His smile was a little sheepish.“Unless you have somewhere else to be?”

“I don’t.” But she didn’t really allow herself to become involved with people. Not since she’d found out she was Inhuman. Yet somehow, the next words out of her mouth were,“Lead the way, then, turtleman.”

“It’s Mack, actually.”

She took his outstretched hand.“Elena.”

* * *

She had given him her number in a spur of the moment decision, but had not responded when he’d texted her.

The last thing a single dad needed in his life was someone who might at any moment land themselves in HYDRA detention.

She stared at his latest message, thumb hovering over the block button. _Sorry if I’m just not taking the hint, you know I’m slow. Turtleman x_

Isolating herself hadn’t been easy, but it somehow had never been harder than with this guy she’d only met one time.

With a sigh, she dialled his number. He picked up on the second ring.“Hey.”

“Hey,”she echoed. And then had no idea what else to say.

Luckily, Mack started talking instead.“ Sorry for all the texts. It’s just, I can’t stop thinking about you.” He cleared his throat.“Which I realise comes on a little strong after one date.”

“Getting ice cream with your kid qualifies as a date?” She chuckled.“You gotta step up your game, turtleman.”

He laughed.“I’m a little rusty on the whole dating thing, I’ll admit. I’ve been focussed on Hope. No time to get to know anyone, really. But you - I don’t know, I feel like I already know you.” A short pause followed.“That sounded like the most cliche pick-up line ever, didn’t it?”

“It did,”Elena admitted.“But you know what? I feel it, too.”

“So, does that mean you’ll go on an actual date with me?” She could practically hear his smile.

She bit her lip, considering what to tell him. This was madness. She ought to hang up and delete his number.“Meet you for dinner tomorrow?”

* * *

Elena had decided she’d just let him know the whole truth. That way, maybe, she’d finally give up the stupid notion of being able to live a normal life, hoping HYDRA never found her out. She had the number of a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent safely tucked away at the back of her sock drawer at home. Once Mack realised she was too dangerous to pursue, she’d give Trip a call and accept his offer of moving to the resistance’s base.

Mack had been somewhat irritated about her choice of restaurant, but hadn’t pressed the matter. She had to admit the place was pretty dingy, but that just guaranteed that there weren’t a lot of people around and the staff knew to mind their own business.

“I forgot the napkins,”she said when they’d barely sat down.

“I’ll get you some,”Mack started, but before he finished the sentence, Elena had already gotten them. He stared at her, perplexed.“How did you - oh.”

“Yeah.” She smiled at him sadly.“That’s the moment where you get up and walk away, by the way.”

“I should, shouldn’t I?”he said, and didn’t.

* * *

Elena was absently playing with Hope’s hair, not able to bring herself to properly pay attention to what she was saying, mind occupied with Trip’s text. That he contacted her was rare enough. That he was so cryptic was unprecedented. _You have to trust Daisy. Sorry I can’t explain._

What was that supposed to mean? And who was Daisy, anyway?

Luckily, Hope didn’t expect her to add anything, anyway. With her head bedded on Elena’s lap, she was talking to her belly, even though she was barely even showing.

“You better be a girl,”Hope was saying, tone almost conspiratory.“I really want a sister this time.”

“Don’t pressure the little one, Sparkplug,”Mack said lightly. He was sat on the floor in front of them, building a tower out of building blocks that wouldn’t survive much longer.“And isn’t that a little mean towards your brother?”

Alejandro was happily unaware of anything of the sort, pushing over the building blocks as Elena had predicted, clapping his hands as they scattered across the floor.

“Jandro wants a sister, too,”Hope claimed, reaching over to ruffle her brother’s hair.“Don’t you, Jandro? You want a sister, right?”

“Sister!”he screeched his agreement.

Hope gave her father a smug look.“See?”

Mack laughed, already starting on another tower.“He’ll want anything if you say it in that tone.”

Just then, the doorbell rang.

“Are we expecting anyone?”Mack asked, already getting to his feet, picking up Alejandro and handing him to Elena.

Hope sat up, pressing into Elena’s side. Even at ten, she had long learned that surprises were rarely a good thing.

Mack went to the door, and Elena waited with baited breath.

He returned with a young woman in tow.“This is Daisy.”

She heard her own worry in his voice.

“Hope,”she said, trying to sound calm,“take your brother to your room for a bit, okay?”

* * *

“You must know how this sounds,”Elena said, once Daisy had finished her explanation.

Daisy nodded.“Believe me, I know. But you have to come with me. We’re getting out of here, and I’m pretty sure we’re only going to get one chance.”

An alternate reality. It sounded crazy. It sounded almost tempting.“And HYDRA’s not in charge, out there?”

“No.” Daisy seemed to relax a little at the hint that she was starting to believe her.“And you two, you’re agents, like me. We’re a team. Family, really.”

“Who’s watching the kids?”Elena wanted to know.“In the real world. Are they okay?”

“They -” Daisy faltered.“They don’t exist. You’re together, but not long enough to have had Alejandro. And Hope -” She looked at Mack, then down at her hands, then back at him.“She’s not alive. I don’t know what happened. I’m so-”

“You need to leave,”Elena cut her off.

Daisy shook her head.“You need to come with me.”

“We’re not going anywhere without our kids,”Mack said. His voice was shaking.

“They’re not real,”Daisy said desperately. Her gaze caught on Elena’s stomach for a moment.“Well, that one might be, for all I know. But this world won’t exist much longer. AIDA - Madame Hydra - she’d rather shut it all down than let us escape. You die in here, you die in the real world.”

“You need to leave,”Elena repeated, and Daisy did, anguish written clearly on her face.

* * *

Elena hadn’t truly believed Daisy until the world started disappearing around them.

They were huddled together, Elena’s lips moving in frantic, silent prayer, her children clutched to her, Mack’s arms around them all doing little in ways of comfort.

“I’m scared,”Hope whispered.“I don’t want to disappear. Please, Mama. I’m scared. Daddy, please. I don’t want to die.”

“I love you,”Mack said. His voice was husky with barely contained tears.“I love you all so much.”

Elena pulled the children closer. And suddenly, there was nothing but emptiness in her embrace.

* * *

“It’s negative.” Elena had never heard her own voice sound so hollow. She couldn’t even say if she had hoped for a different result. In some ways, carrying the baby Hope had been so excited for would have been worse, perhaps.

Mack wordlessly held out a hand to her, and she sank into his arms, sobbing.

None of it had really hit her until this moment, she had been going through the motions like a sleepwalker, not allowing herself to think, to feel.

Daisy had been in tears when they had woken up from their other life, certain they would not use the exit she had built them in a desperate attempt to convince them after all.

Elena had held her, stroking her hair soothingly, and had tried not to think about the many times she had done the same for Hope and Alejandro.

Mack held onto her as if she, too, might disappear if he let go. She wound her arms tighter around him, trying to ease his pain as he tried to ease hers.

There were years and years of memories, and while none of it had been real, the loss could not feel anymore real.

When no more tears would come, she pulled away just enough to be able to look at Mack, one hand moving to cup his cheek.“How are you holding up, mi amor?”

“I don’t know yet.” He smiled, somewhat shakily.“All those years felt so real. Hope and Jandro - I think they’ll always be a part of us. But it was a glimpse at a life we could have here. Together.”

“A life we could have,”Elena echoed.“I’d like that.”

He kissed her, and when they broke apart, his smile was no longer uncertain.“I life we will have.”

It was a promise.


End file.
